Astros up today for their first spring game. It's the Cleveland Indians and we are starting Wandy Rodriguez, who had a good year last year when pitching at home, but couldn't get his mother out on the road, hopefully he's figured that out in the offseason. We have had some knicks and bruises to deal with so far. Lance Berkman, who we need to return to form, has only been able to hit right handed due to some muscle problem. Brandon Backe who we need to have a healthy year, bruised his foot in some drills, and last years rookie phenom Hunter Pence walked through a sliding glass door and suffered many cuts and bruises but should be able to play. I have to wonder about the real story with Hunter, I thought all the glass doors now days were some sort of almost unbreakable glass. I remember at one time they were and even little kids were breaking them when they were really clean and they thought the door was open. But I thought that was something that just didn't happen anymore unless maybe you ran full speed into it or something like that. Also I have to ask you guys about an incident where Billy Wagner of the Mets went ballistic because a Michigan kid in an exhibition game with the Mets tried to lay down a bunt on him. He missed and after much glaring, huffing and snorting by Wagner the kid swung on the next pitch and Wagner afterwards said if the kid had tried again to bunt he'd have cleaned his clock. So what's the big deal on this? It's an exhibition game sure, but what's wrong with bunting on a MLB pitcher? Are these games played with rules like college football all-star games where you can't blitz? Terry
Wagner is a jerk. He can't handle the Big Apple at all and he can't save a big game. He plays in a city where he can't even claim to be the premier closer.
BillyG was very popular in Houston....well till he couldn't get the games closed then we didn't like him and latched on to Brad Lidge as our new hero..well till he gave up all those moster game losing blasts to Pujhols! We have no bullpen hero at the moment!
If JO'Co was here he could explain, but since he isn't, I'll assume that Wagner is a prima donna who can't - or doesn't want to - play the game like it's supposed to be played. What other reason could there be? That's the difference between the "pure" game played by college kids and the money-worn pro game played by guys who have forgotten what it's like to hustle when there's nothing at stake.
if you really want my 2 cents <t>and I will warn you.. you dont have to read this. It has been made clear to me on more than one occasion that folks don't prefer my affinity for the 'old school approach' to the game.. especially when we are talking about 'children' which is somehow what 20 and 22 year old men get reduced to when talking about stuff like this.....but.. with that said.. here it goes.<br/> <br/> You need to understand a few things first. One, pros hate these exhibition games because there is really nothing to be gained here except a light workout, a few cuts and some good PR. Second, the college kids love these games because they are a window into a world that the vast majority of them will never know and the few of them that do get a sniff will only get a bus ticket and a meal allowance... yet will never get closer to the bigs than the tales of a few coaches on the bench. These games are a big deal to them and a lot of positives can be taken from these situations and literally every failure can still be spun into a positive learning experience since the boys are playing against the best there is on the planet.<br/> <br/> That being said.. everyone has a role. Its a team, everyone watches someone's back in some regard at all times. The California and west coast teams are infamous for their vicious old school ways. I remember hearing the youngest of the Zick brothers who played for me at Ontario telling me about winding up at Ole Miss and the good ole southern boys telling late winter workout tales of the legendary bench jockeys from the Pac10 and Big West. Its one thing to insult someone, its another to do it so they remember it forever. Every team has a rag.. not just a bench jockey, but a bench jockey extraordinaire.. It should have been his job to get this kid's back. This person is usually a coach who use to be a pitcher, or one of the off-day pitchers who didn't want to get in on the poker game in the bullpen. And this is just how it should be done.<br/> <br/> Sitting hands firmly in pocket, and without facial expression he would begin to shout loudly at Wagner while he sat there showing that kid up shaking his head saying something that should sound a lot like this....<br/> <br/> "Hey Gas can!! Get your a$$ back on the bump. The last time your head spun that fast Pujols damaged the o-zone and all the Cardinal fans won a free whopper. He's a kid and you are a grown man! If we really wanted to win this game, we would have spotted you a 2 run lead before you took the GD mound, you effing arsonist! This kid isn't even a busher, you're a pro!! act like one!!! Now get back up there and deal your puss and if the next pitch comes within 2 feet of his head so help me God I'm coming out there to jam this fungo up your arse!"<br/> <br/> But instead this kid got shown up by Wagner on the mound and then in the media. Sure Wagner looks like the dolt to the common fan, and he is...justifiably.. Still, someone should have stood up for that kid.<br/> <br/> Had he done that to CSUF, or God help him LB State...or any of the Pac10's motley crew.. They would have caused him to melt down on the mound.. He showed an astounding lack of composure for a professional.<br/> <br/> And if you ever think I am kidding..and you get the chance to have one of those western teams visit your area.. Take your buddies (not your small children).. get there early and park your butt right next to their dugout.. And listen to, not watch, the game. See it in the micro.</t>
But you didn't explain why it's a mortal sin to bunt on a MLB pitcher in one of these college vs the pros exhibition games. :?:
Corey, Wow! It's like you read my mind. Your thoughts on the incident are exactly the same as mine, but you are able to put a face and voice on the bench jockey based on your direct experience. As I thought about the incident during my 50 minute drive home from work I fantacized myself as the bench jockey yelling at Wagner, daring him to come off the mound, getting inside his head and hoping he would come at me so I could lay him out (keeping in mind that this is a fantasy). We had a bench jockey with pro potential on our HS team in South Jersey. He was a funny kid with a shrill voice who more often than not got inside the heads of the opposing HS pitchers. His favorite expression, because there were so many Italians in South Jersey, was banana nose. The description often was accurate. One time he got into the opposing coach's head and he told our coach to make him stop. Our coach, who remains my close friend to this day, just smiled, turned to Joe and smiled, and didn't say a word. I'm pretty sure we won the game. We had a very good team. Unfortunately, Joe is in heaven now because of cancer, but I can still hear that voice. If you are thinking of me as one of those who "don't prefer my affinity for the 'old school approach' to the game", please know that nothing could be farther from the truth. The only area where I've differed from you and JO'Co is my opinion of the beanball, but I have immense respect for your and JO'Co's insights into the game, and I respectfully defer to your opinions and insights on that subject. The two of you have gone so much deeper into the sport than I ever did that I look forward to anything the two of you have to say about anything having to do with baseball. I guess I could say that where my active career stopped after my freshman year at ND, the two of you have spent many years at the "playing-for-keeps" level, which is a level I know nothing about. Thus, please keep your thoughts and insights coming. I can't get enough.
Terry <t>I did. They feel these games are beneath them. They fear they will risk injury bending over or running it out. Its lame. Its not right. They think these kids should be there to take their cuts and be happy they are there.<br/> <br/> The college kids are happy.<br/> <br/> The position of guys like Wagner isn't something to defend. If you show up with your glove, you might as well play.. and if you play, play the damned thing the way God intended the game to be played. Anything less than that is a sin and you should be mocked off the field.<br/> <br/> That's just me.<br/> <br/> He's a candy ass.</t>
Sid <t>reading your thoughts and your appreciation for the game.. You need to follow the LBState 49ers. Dirtball is old school baseball. Their program has backed off and then returned to their roots. The 'beach' is an 'old school' area.. CSUF is more money and OC glitz.. pumping kids with power shakes and scouting combines when they are 9. Still, they have to be tougher because they have the LA/LongBeach kids to one side and the Inland Empire to the other. 'They ain't exactly nancy boys' is my point. I hope UCRiverside continues on their path of the common man old school ways. Baseball is a religion to some of those communities.. UCI is another one on the way.<br/> <br/> I'm not kidding, there are teams in the college ranks that would have taunted Wagner to implosion and/or fought him for that nonsense. That's just bush league..</t>
Cool! This topic has opened up a whole new world of baseball watching for me, and at my age it's my way of "getting a life". Who knows? I may come over to your side in the beanball issue. Actually, I feel like I'm headed that way.